Chapter 53: Whom Does the Young Master Intend to Kill?

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The old man selling maps sat there, still somewhat tense, his eyes constantly scanning the surroundings.

Something about him was off.

Thankfully, I didn’t buy the map that day.

Even if I had taken it, it probably wouldn’t have done me any good.

Compared to the map itself, Lu Chuan cared more about where it had appeared.

Was it also found inside a cave? And if so, where was that cave located? The more information he had, the better his chances of deducing where the rest of the map might be.

However,

If this was a trap, it was very likely set by someone with intent.

This old man was sitting here waiting for news about other maps.

Thinking of this, Lu Chuan shook his head in resignation.

If it were a novice, they might have really fallen for the trick.

But a certain itch of curiosity remained in Lu Chuan’s heart. How could he extract some secrets from this old man? And how could he tell whether the secrets given were true or false?

Since the other party had laid this trap, they must have already anticipated many things.

If he forced his hand,

He might only end up making things worse, perhaps being given a false address, where a whole group would be lying in wait.

If he spooked them,

Not only would he gain nothing, but he might even expose himself.

After much thought,

He couldn’t come up with a better plan.

Most likely, once this old man disappeared, the people on this side would immediately set their next trap.

In the end, Lu Chuan decided to wait and see who this man would come into contact with.

“How much for this bow?”

Finally, Lu Chuan approached a stall, casually picked up a bow, glanced at it briefly, and then asked.

“This bow is non-negotiable, ten taels of silver!”

The man replied indifferently.

“??”

Lu Chuan stared at the man with a puzzled look. “Are you joking? Is this bow made of gold? Worth ten taels of silver?”

“Hey, the joke’s on you. If this were really made of gold, would I sell it to you for ten taels?” The man sneered, then flipped the bow over and said seriously, “See here? What does it say?”

“Yulin?”

Lu Chuan read the characters slowly.

“Exactly. This is a bow used by the Yulin Guard of the Bingzhou army. The quality’s excellent. It took me a lot of effort to get my hands on it. And let me tell you!”

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“This thing’s in high demand. If you don’t want it now, someone else will come along soon and snatch it up!”

There was a hint of nonchalance in the man’s voice.

“If you don’t want it, just put it down.”

Lu Chuan nodded and placed the bow back on the counter.

To him, the bow was worth at most five taels of silver. Asking for ten was only likely if they encountered a fool or had absolutely no alternative source.

However,

He had spent a long time roaming the black market, and by the end, prices were generally around ten taels of silver.

Later, Lu Chuan gradually understood the reasoning.

Simply put, most bows and arrows on the market nowadays came from the military camp. It was illegal for civilians to privately keep or forge iron weapons, and if caught, punishment was certain.

So, whether buying or selling, the prices tended to be relatively high,

Because there was a risk involved.

Just then, a clear, melodious voice sounded behind Lu Chuan.

“Young master, are you looking for a fine bow?”

There was a coquettish lilt in the voice; just one sweet, charming word made Lu Chuan feel slightly weak in the knees.

“Madam?”

Lu Chuan turned around to find a woman standing there,

Smiling brightly at him.

“Yes!”

Lu Chuan didn’t hide anything.

“I want a good bow, preferably a bit cheaper, but I’ve looked around the market. The quality is mediocre, and the prices are steep!”

“Then why not visit Treasure Pavilion? Perhaps nothing there has caught your eye?” The woman’s voice was sultry.

Lu Chuan felt something was off.

He instinctively stared at the woman a few times.

Name: Zhu Yin

Age: 22

Looks: 95

Affection: 10

Current reward upon acceptance: Basic disguise skills

Lu Chuan was stunned, a trace of delight shining in his eyes.

Damn, this madam can do that too?

But the chance of acceptance was probably low,

After all, this madam was wealthy, with everything at her disposal.

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And he himself was still somewhat poor.

Only left with a handsome face!

Lu Chuan frowned slightly, but he was truly tempted by the disguise skill—it was incredibly valuable to him at this moment.

“Of course not!” Lu Chuan smiled. “I just didn’t expect you to sell weapons here.”

“That’s natural. There’s nothing we don’t have, only things you can’t imagine. If you want something, even the most impossible item, we’ll find a way to get it for you—but the price is another matter!” Zhu Yin said with a smile.

“Oh?”

Lu Chuan looked at Zhu Yin intently.

“What if I want someone’s head?”

As he spoke, his gaze deepened.

“You must be joking, young master. That’s not something we deal in. But if you want, I can put you in touch with the bandits from Blackwater Mountain—they handle that sort of business.”

“Who are you thinking of killing?” Zhu Yin asked.

“The county magistrate of Hongtu County.”

“Zhou Zheng?”

Lu Chuan quietly spoke the seven characters.

“Who?”

Zhu Yin’s tone rose sharply, a flicker of panic in her eyes. After a brief pause, she continued, “Don’t you know, assassinating a government official is a capital offense?”

“Mm.”

“And hiring a killer is also punishable by death.”

“Do you, who trade on the black market, really care about that?”

Lu Chuan watched Zhu Yin with interest.

He sensed that her attitude toward him had changed considerably today.

It seemed the problem had been found.

But Lu Chuan didn’t mind and nodded. “Alright, let’s go.”

“Let me see the bow you have. I hope it won’t disappoint me!”

“Of course!”

“If you’re worried, why not try shooting it?”

Zhu Yin answered calmly.